HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, a recent landmark study on suicides is a grim reminder about the need to protect our youth. This as Oahu sees a surge in youth suicides.
Walker Rowsey, executive director of nonprofit Kids Hurt Too, joined HNN’s Sunrise to talk about the national report out of the University of Utah and what social workers are seeing on the ground in Hawaii.
“This was the first really long term retrospective look at suicide across the country, going back 120 years and revealed some startling trends. Most notably that suicide rates are cyclical, cycling every 10-25 years and are directly correlated to periods of social upheaval,” Rowsey said. “Additionally and tragically, it showed that we as a nation are in the midst of a youth suicide crisis, with each successive generation seeing more suicides younger.”
Rowsey says there’s been a drastic spike in youth suicides in Hawaii, with 10 reported on Oahu alone between January and May. For perspective, according to the Hawaii Child Mortality review, there were 10 youth suicides recorded state-wide for the entire year of 2023.
“This may be the worst spike in youth suicides in Hawaii’s history,” Rowsey explained. “The study showed suicide is far from just a medical problem, but instead a social and community problem. Where individual-based and tailored clinical approaches may be highly ineffective at preventing suicide, multilevel approaches that engage and change whole communities are shown to be effective.”
“We need tailored strategies that address connectedness, community, economic stability and the lived experience of entire generations, not just interventions targeted at individuals after they’re already in crisis,” he added. “We need connection to each other and senses of belonging, not just to our communities, but to our histories and humanity as whole.”
“For those ohana that have already lost a child, you are not to blame and you did not fail your children, all of us have failed you, and we can do better,” Rowsey said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis or is in need of mental health support or resources, you can:
Call or text 988 or visit Hawaii CARES 988 to connect with a locally trained counselor 24/7 who can help with linkage to behavioral health crisis services.Contact YouthLine, a free 24/7 peer-to-peer help, support and crisis line for youth up to age 24. Youth are available daily from 2-7 p.m., with adults available all other times. Call (877) 968-8491, text “teen2teen” to 839863, or chat theyouthline.org.Contact Aloha United Way by calling 211 or using text, email or chat at auw211.org.
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